Savannah mayoral candidates talk transportation, sustainability

Tuesday

Nov 15, 2011 at 12:09 AM

Eric Curl

More sidewalks: Check.

Additional bike lanes: Check.

Support green buildings: Check.

Ahead of the Dec. 6 runoff, there was not much that candidates Jeff Felser and Edna Jackson disagreed on during the Savannah Bicycle Campaign's mayoral forum Monday night at downtown's Coastal Georgia Center.

About 60 people attended the forum in which the candidates were asked how they would improve Savannah's transportation infrastructure and encourage environmentally sustainable building practices.

Both candidates said they would support an ordinance similar to a recently passed Chatham County requirement that all renovations and new buildings be LEED Silver Certified, which incorporate energy efficient design. That support extended to city sponsored affordable housing, such as the recently developed Sustainable Fellwood.

"It must not only be affordable, it must be green," Felser said.

A policy for all local transportation projects to have complete streets - those with sidewalks, and bike lanes - was also mutually supported.

"We must make sure we have bike routes along the major corridors here in our city," Jackson said.

Rail service for downtown streets was something Jackson repeatedly brought up. If not free, Jackson felt such a service would be provided at low cost for low-income residents.

Felser said that too many neighborhoods do not have sidewalks. He would create a city position that would be charged with coordinating sustainable practices such as making sure future developments included complete streets.

The transportation sales tax going before voters next year also got the thumbs up from each candidate.

"I think it is something that will move not only Savannah forward, but Chatham County forward," Jackson said.

Felser said he supports the one-percent tax, but thinks the city still has time to negotiate for more of the revenue that will be split up in a 10-county region.